Moving Picture World (May-Jun 1925)

220 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 9, 1925 Scenes from the first chapter of “Idaho,” the new Patheserial in which Mahlon Hamilton and Vivian Rich play leading roles. U. s Mobile Studio Unit Begins Country-wide Tour DURING the coming week, at the instance of Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal Pictures Corporation, that company will send out a remarkable caravan. It is a mobile studio unit, consisting of a powerful auto-type tractor and a “bungalow on wheels,” fitted out as a complete living room and film laboratory. Its mission will be to visit all the principal cities in the United States and to make pictures in these cities for historic record. Starting from Universal City, the big Universal studio plant just outside of Los Angeles, the mobile film unit, or Mobile Mansion, as Universal call it because of the completeness of its appointments, will proceed northward to San Francisco, thence to Portland, Tacoma, Seattle and Spokane, and then eastward through Salt Lake City, Denver and Omaha, and continuing to the Atlantic Coast with frequent stops. It is expected to reach New York next September. From New York it will swing through the Southern States and return to California via Louisiana, Texas and Arizona. The entire trip will take at least a year, according to present estimates. C. E. Holah, a veteran film executive, will be in charge of the tour and will accompany the unit. As advance agent for the outfit, Garrett Graham, formerly publicity director for the Hal Roach studios, will officiate. He is now in San Francisco arranging for the first stop of the strange caravan. Carl Laemmle’s idea in sending out this touring studio to the country’s principal cities is in line with the patriotic slogan, “See America First.” He believes that he could leave no greater historical legacy to posterity than a complete motion picture record of the leading cities as they are today. In each city where a stop is made, a print of the picture taken there will be shown in one of the local theatres and then placed in the city’s archives as a record for future generations. The Mobile Mansion is a unique outfit. It was constructed at a cost of $28,000 for use in Universal’s forthcoming Jewel picture, “California Straight Ahead,” in which Reginald Denny is starred. The Mobile Mansion includes both tractor and trailer. The tractor is a powerful HallScott-Fagoel truck motor of 120 horsepower, built into a regulation automobile roadster type body, but of much larger proportions. The driver's controls are the same as those of a passenger car save for two extra gears for hill climbing. Sennett-Pathe Comedies “Tee for Two” and “Butter Fingers” Poke Fun at Popular Sports Mack Sennett has completed two comedies this week for Pathe distribution. “Tee For Two,” is a travesty on golfing and “Butter Fingers,” which burlesques baseball. “Tee For Two” is the third comedy featuring Alice Day, supported by Raymond McKee, Thelma Parr, William McCall and Eva Thatcher. The direction was handled by Eddie Cline. “Butter Fingers” was directed by Del Lord. The cast is composed of Billy Bevan, Madeline Burlock, Ruth Taylor, Andy Clyde, Kewpie Morgan and “Pal ” Myton Made Scenario Editor B. P. Fineman, production manager of the F. B. O. Studios in Hollywood, announces the appointment of Fred Kennedy Myton to the post of West Coast Scenario Editor of Film Booking Offices. Mr. Myton is well known in the industry as the author and adaptor of man} of F. B. O.’s recent box-office successes, including several Evelyn Brent stories, among them “Alias Mary Flynn” and "Forbidden Cargo.” New Wanda Wiley Comedy “Getting Trimmed,” Wanda Wiley’s highest praised two-reel Century Comedy, is being released through all Universal Exchanges. It has been pre-released in a number of big first run theatres, and has the reputation of being one of the best comedies of the year. Scenes from “Who Cares?” a Columbia Production Released by C. B. C.